Light-signal system



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' B. J. NOYES 85 H. P. EATON.

LIGHT SIGNAL SYSTEM No. 450,182. Patented Apr. 14,1891.

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(No Model.) .2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

B. J. NOYBS & H. F. EATON. LIGHT SIGNAL SYSTEM.

No. 450,182. Q Patented Apr. 14, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT 'F'FICE.

BERNIOE J. NOYES, OF BOSTON, AND HOXVARD F. EATON, F CAMBRIDGE,

MASSACHUSETTS. v

LIGHT-SIGNAL SYSTEM SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,182, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed April 5, 1889. Serial No. 306,074; (No model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that we, BERNICE J. NoYEs, of Boston, county of Suffolk, and HOWARD F. EATON, of Cambridge, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts,have invented an In provement in Light-Signal Systems, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to construct and arrange a light-signal system especially adapted for police-signaling purposes.

In accordance with thls invention the several light-signals are included in a single circuit, the light-signals being designed to be sub-station is in condition for its light-signal to be released, and if found to be correct the light-signal is then released. An additional circuit-changing device is arranged at each sub-station to make known or indicate at the central station that the operation of the lightsignal has been successful, thereby avoiding mistakes.

Figure 1 shows in diagram a light:s1gnal system embodying this lnvent ong Fig. 2, a detail showing a light-signal such as may be employed; and Fig. 3, a diagram of a modified form of light-signal system, the code return-signal transmitters being om1tted.

The main circuit A includes a central station B and severallight-signal stations. Each light-signal station contains an individual call, (shown as a step-by-step device OOHSlSt; ing of an electro-Inagnet C0,) the armature a of which is secured to one end of a lever a pivoted at a the opposite end of said lever carrying a push-pawl a which engages they teeth of a ratchet-wheel a fixed to the shaft trolling device is provided, herein shown as consisting of a circuit-wheel b, contact-pen Z2, included in the main line A, and motor mechanism for revolving the circuit-wheel b, a pointer or arm 5 and a face-plate in which holes 17 are formed, into one of whicha stoppin Z) may be placed, with which the pointer or arm b co operates to stop the circuit-wheel at definite points. As the circuit-wheel is revolved the electro-magnet and its armature carrying lever operate to move the ratchet-wheel a one tooth for each impulse. A circuit-wheel c is also fixed to the shaft a having an insulated portion, and a pen 0 bears on the wheel 0, the said wheel and pen being connected by wires 2 3 with. the main lineA. The circuit-wheel c of each light-signal station is placed upon the shaft a differently, or so that a different number of llllpulses may be required to bring the circuitwheel 0 of each light-signal station into position, so that the pen 0' will bear upon the insulated portion thereof. A releasinganagnet d is included in the main circuit A, the arma--- ture-carrying lever d of which is acted upon or has co-operating with it a retarding device, herein shown as a sector d pinion d escape-- wheel (1 and pallet (1 The armature-carrying lever cl has a tooth cl, which enters a notch in a wheel d of a normally-wound motor mechanism. The releasing-magnet d isincluded in the main line A between the wires 2 3, so that it is normally shunted out by the Y circuit-wheel c, pen 0', and wires 2 3. A cir-v cuit-wheel e is attached to ashaft of the normally-wound motor mechanism 0, said circuit-wheel being driven by the said motor.

branch 4, and the pen 5 co-operating with the- I said circuit-wheel is also included in the ground tap or branch 4 from the main line, said tap or branch being normally open and designed to be closed by the circuit-wheel as the latter is revolved.

In operation, as the transmitter at the central station is operated, the circuit-wheel c of all the lightsignal stations revolves step by step, and the releasing-magnets d are thereby included successively for a short period of time. When the arm or pointer 19 strikes the pin or stop I), the insulated portion of the circuit-wheel c at one of the stations (herein shown as station No. 4) will be beneath the pen 0', thereby opening the shunt and including the releasing-magnet cl until the pin or stop I) is removed. This period of time will be sufficient to enable the armature of the releasing-magnet d to be attracted toward and against the poles of the magnet, thereby releasing the motor mechanism 0 and rotating the circuit-Wheel 6. At the central station a closed ground-tap 6 leads from the main line A, it including the battery 7 and receivingmagnet The armature-carrying lever f of the magnet f controls a local circuit f including the local battery f and the regis' ter or other receiving instrument f and as the circuit-Wheel e successively closes the ground tap or branch 4 the'number transmitted by said circuit-wheel will be received. At the central station a pole-changing key or battery-reversing instrument D is employed,

and at each light-signal station a polarized releasing-magnet t' is included in the main line A, but normally shunted out by the circuit-wheel a, pen 0', and wires 2 3, but is included simultaneously with the releasingmagnet 61 to be responsive. After the returnsignal transmitter O has been released and its signal transmitted to the central station that it may be known that the correct lightsignal has been included in the line the polechangi-ng key-orbattery-reversinginstrument D is operated, effecting the movement of the armature-carrying lever 'i of the polarized releasing-magnet 2', thereby releasing the. The rod 2- is or may be connected rod & with or formed as a part of the verticallymovable light-signal, (see Fig. 2,) being herein represented as a colored globe on the rod 45 which is adapted to be raised by a spring to inclose the flame. The rod 01 is designed to move upward and is provided with a projection t (see Fig. 1,) which, as it approaches the limit of its upward motion, engages a projection 2' of a bar 2' carrying a pen i,

which co-operates with a contact-surface "L The pen '6 and its signaling-surface t are included in branch wires 8 9 of the ground-tap, so that when the light-signal arrives in its most elevated position or is displayed the receiving apparatus at the central station will again respond. It will be seen that by this construction and arrangement any light-signal of a number may be operated from the central station independently, the number of the station may be received previous to the light-signal being displayed, and a returnsignal also received after the signal has been displayed, so that no mistakes can be made.

It is obvious that the releasing-magnet d herein shown may be employed to release the light directly, the return-signal-transmitting devices being omitted, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the retarding device being supplied, so that the armaturewill only be moved to release the light-signal on a long closure of the circuit. It is also obvious that any other independent or individ ually-operating device may be employed to operate the releasing or operating magnet for the light-signal in conjunction with return-Signal-transmitting devices, so we do not desire to limit our invention to the precise construction and arrangement shown.

Ve have herein shown, in addition to the devices above described, a well-known form of unison, it consisting of the polarized electro-magnet n, locking-armature n of which carries the fork 01. between the tines'of which the swiveled and hinged bar a is held, said bar having a pin which follows in a spiral groove of a hub a, which groove is also provided with a stop-pin To render the polarized electro-ma-gnet n non-responsive when it is desired to operate the polarized electro-magnet 41, a disk m isfixed to the shaft a it having a single projection which engages the pen m at the moment the shunt c c 2 3 is open, said disk and arm on m being connected by wires 12 1'3 with the main line A around the polarized electro-magnet n, to thereby shunt it out. In Fig. 3 this polarized magnet n is employed; but it is included directly in the circuit, and the battery-reversing instrument D is -employed to operate it.

I claim- 1. In a light-signal system, all-electric circ-uitincluding a central station and several light-signal stations, each light-signalstation containing a light-signal and magnet for effecting its operation, also a normally-wound return-signal transmitter and mag-net for releasing it, and also an individual-call switch for rendering operative both of said magnets, and the central station containing a circuit controller for the individual-call switches, and a return-signal receiver and a circuitcontrolling device for the light-signal-operattransmitter and its receiver, which excludes the operating-magnets of the individual-call wound motors, and a retarding or restraining device for said armatures, whereby the said return-signal transmitters may be released when its releasing-magnet is included in the circuit a long period of time, and signal-receiving instruments at the central station for said retu rn-signals, substantially as described.

4. In a light-signal system, an electric circuit including a central station and several light-signal stations containing light-signals, combined with two code-return-signal transmitters at each light-signal station, one of which indicates the number of the station and the other the operation of the light-signal, and means controlled from the central station for operating them, and a signal-receiver at the central station for the returnsignals, substantially as described.

5. In a light-signal system, an electric circuit including a central station and several light-signal stations containing light-signals, combined with means for operating the lightsignals, and a code-return-signal transmitter at each light-signal station controlled by the light-signal when operated, and another codereturn-signal transmitter at each light-signal station controlled by an independent device for indicating the number of the light-signal station, substantially as described.

6. I11 a light-signal system, an electric circuit including a central station and several light-signal stations, combined with a circuitcontroller at the central station, an operatingmagnet at each light-signal station, a shuntswitch controlled by said operating-magnet, an electro-magnet, as d, in the circuit controlled by said shunt-switch, and a retarding device for the armature of said magnet'd, said retarded armature controlling the operation of the light-signal, substantially as described.

v 7. In a light-signal system, an electric circuit including a central station and several light-signal stations, a circuit-controller at the central station, and individual call switches at the light-signal stations, combined with a light-signal and also a code-returnsignal transmitter at each light-signal station, both of which are governed by the individual-call switch thereat, and a signal-receiving instrument at the central station for the return-signals, and a circuit-controlling device also at the central station for-co-operating with said'individual-call switch to effect the operation of the light-signal system, substantially as described.

8. In a light-signal system, an electric circuit, including a central station and several light-signal stations, a circuit-controller at the central station, and individual call switches at the light-signal stations, combined with a light-signal and also a code-returnsignal transmitter at each light-signal station, both of which are governed by the individual-call switch thereat, and a signal-receiving instrument at the central station for the return-signals, the said code-return-signal transmitter transmitting impulses of different character from that employed to operate the individual-call switches, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof We have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNIOE J. NOYES.

HOWVARD F. EATON.-

Witnesses: I

G. W. GREGORY, FREDERICK O. EMERY. 

